Below is the current list of panels and their descriptions. We’ll keep updating it as speakers and topics are finalized. If you have questions about these panels, please contact Programming Chair Anita Khushalani at panels@sabanorthamerica.com.

Health Reform, Medicare, and Medicaid Under the Trump Administration: What Can We Expect?Health Law

The prospects for health care delivery and financing under the Trump administration is still unknown. President Trump campaigned on a platform of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, privatizing Medicare, and block-granting Medicaid to states. Trump also pledged to lower prescription drug prices. Panelists will analyze the legislative, regulatory and policy changes that have already been adopted under the Trump administration and the outlook for future legislation. We will also discuss the implications of these changes for health care companies and practitioners from an operational perspective. Harsh Parikh of Crowell and Moring, LLP will lead Karishma Shah, partner at K&L Gates; Kristina Weger, Executive Director for Executive Branch and Federal Relations at the American Hospital Association; and Anjali Kataria, CEO of Mytonomy in a lively conversation that includes the very latest developments.

High dollar, high impact: A Discussion of Criminal and civil government settlements across various business sectorsWhite Collar

Government investigations – they come in all shapes and sizes. Criminal and civil. Federal and state. Toss in a congressional investigation and you’ve got enough to keep up any potential investigation subject at night. Our panelists have experience prosecuting, investigating and defending these cases and they will be sharing their thoughts on recent high stakes resolutions and maybe even where they’re looking to next. Kavitha Babu, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, will moderate a discussion between John Brownlee, partner at Holland & Knight; Sanjay Bhambani, Senior Trial Counsel for the Department of Justice, Civil Division, Fraud Section; Brian Kidd, Assistant Chief, Securities & Financial Fraud Unit of the Department of Justice, Criminal Division; and Tejal Mehta, Senior Counsel with the U.S. Regulatory Investigations Hub, TD Bank Group.

Most Everything You Need to Know about Legal Ethics, You Already Learned in KindergartenEthics

To comprehend and comply with the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, an attorney needs to be less Einstein and more Dr. Seuss. This program will demystify and deconstruct some of the oft-times theoretical and abstract rules of professional conduct, and replace them with practical and basic guidelines. Through an examination of certain recent and notable disciplinary decisions from around the country, we will discuss:

Conflicts of interest

Confidentiality concerns

Candor to the tribunal

Responsibilities of partners, managers and supervisory practitioners

Unauthorized practice of law

Attorney misconduct.

And at the end of the program, attendees will be able to identify and process ethical issues that may arise in their practice setting, and employ various techniques to avoid these same traps, gaps, and mishaps. Join Javade Chaudhri, partner at Jones Day; Delores Dorsainvil of the DC Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the ABA; and Tracy Kepler, Director of the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility as they endeavor to keep us on the straight and narrow.

Building Your Brand thru Social MediaCareer Development

In our digital world, one of the easiest (and hardest) ways to raise your profile is via social media. We want to be professional, yet approachable in our public personas without seeming to be seeking publicity. Additionally, lawyers need to be careful not to run afoul of professionalism rules. This panel will examine how attorneys can utilize social media to build their brands and businesses. Our panelists include moderator Shivani Honwad of the Law Firm of Shivani Honwad; Sonia Lakhany, founder of Lakhany Law PC; Kathryn Holmes Johnson, Director of Marketing & Communications at Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox; Nehal Madhani, founder of AltLegal; and Sourabh Sharma, Social Media Blogger & Influencer at Figout.

Negotiating your CompensationCareer Development

Every professional has or will have to negotiate their salary at some point during their career. In addition, pay equity and transparency have emerged as significant workplace issues. This panel will discuss the laws governing employee compensation in the workplace, as well as practical strategies to employ during salary negotiations. Avani Patel, Business Development Manager at iDiscovery Solutions will moderate a panel including Karla Grossenbacher, partner at Seyfarth Shaw; Anita Khushalani, Founder & Managing Director at Worth Workplace Training; Debbie Tang, partner at Bridge Partners, LLC; and John Sigmon, Chief HR Officer at AARP.

Immigration Changes and Impact in Light of New AdministrationImmigration

The panel will focus its discussion on new and proposed regulations and executive orders issued by the new administration. The discussion will include a wide range of topics including the policy, impact and current status of the travel bans; background and changes impacting sanctuary cities; re-prioritization of deportation enforcement; and the impact on skilled worker visas. We will discuss the content of these policies and executive orders and will also explore the current status of each order and next steps that may be taken to enforce the administration’s policies and executive orders. Sapna Annicelli, Associate Attorney at Fragomen, Del Rey Bernsen & Loewy, LLP will moderate a discussion between Alice Hsu, Partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP; Hassan Ahmad, Managing Attorney at HMA Law Firm; Anil Kalhan, Associate Professor of Law at Drexel University, Thomas R. Kline School of Law; and Manar Waheed, Legislative Advocacy Counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union.

2017 Post Grant Proceedings UpdatePatent Law

The America Invents Act of 2011 brought a number of changes to the U.S. patent system, the most significant of which were the changes to post-grant proceedings, the formal processes to challenge issued patents offered by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. The post-grant review and Inter Partes Review proceedings, which went into effect on September 16, 2012, have already revolutionized the patent landscape. The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals has also now had the opportunity to weigh in on post grant practice and shape the law.

Rahul Das, Vice-President at Xinova LLC will moderate a thought-provoking panel discussion on effective strategies, lessons learned, and a synopsis of the developing case law related to post grant practice during the first five years of the America Invents Act. Our panel of experts includes Naveen Modi, partner at Paul Hastings; Rama Elluru, Administrative Patent Judge at Patent Trial and Appeal Board, U.S. Patent Trademark Office; and Vaishali Udupa, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel IP Litigation and Policy at Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

Current Issues in Tax ReformTax Law

This panel will examine pending legislative and administration proposals to attempt tax reform, or discuss the implications of tax reform legislation signed into law by the administration. Given the failure of health care reform, and the stated desire of the Republican House and President Trump to attempt tax reform next, this topic is a front-burner issue for all Americans as well as non-residents. A vote on this issue may be pending, or recently have occurred, by the time we meet in July for the Convention. Accordingly, a more detailed description shall have to wait until we get closer to press time. Rahul Ranadive of Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, P.A is joined by Rohit Kumar, former tax counsel to Sen. McConnell, currently with PwC; Aruna Kalyanam, Counsel of the House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Healthcare; and Cathy Koch, Tax Policy Leader at Ernst & Young.

Supreme Court ReviewSCOTUS

This panel will review developments in the Supreme Court during the Court’s 2016 Term, including the most important cases that the Court decided, and the effect of the election on the composition of the Court. This perennially popular panel will review the big decisions that have come out of the newly full Supreme Court. With their typical humor and insight, Pratik A. Shah, partner at Akin Gump; Kannon Shanmugam, partner at Williams Connolly; Deepak Gupta, founding principal of Gupta Wessler PLLC; Loren AliKhan, Deputy Solicitor General at the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia; and Tejinder Singh, partner at Goldstein and Russell; will tackle all of this and more. Upping the stakes this year, the Hon. Vince Chhabria, United States District Court Judge for the Northern District of California will be moderating the panel and “judging” their answers.

How to Sell Yourself in 60 Seconds – Perfecting the Elevator PitchCareer Development

You have one minute to sell yourself as an attorney. Are you ready?

Being able to quickly highlight your practice is a challenge that faces nearly every attorney. In an age of increasing demands for specialization and experience, pitching yourself honestly and aggressively is a delicate balance. And if you haven’t done a pitch before, it might feel daunting to sell yourself effectively and succinctly. This panel will help you get ready to do so. The panelists will give their takes on how to pitch yourself in a variety of situations and discuss their best and worst experiences in pitching themselves. Audience members will have an opportunity to practice pitching themselves before the panel. This is a terrific opportunity to learn how to sell yourself and get critiques on your approach.

The polarization of American politics demonstrates the need for passionate individuals, especially lawyers, to get involved in governance and policymaking, inside and outside the government. This session will be a discussion about working in policy at the state and federal levels, working on campaigns, along with affecting change as a member of a trade group, think tank, and/or within a company. It will include an introduction of the legislative process, careers in Congress and government affairs, and structuring a policy agenda. Attendees will gain an understanding of how lawyers can work to impact the law through policy and politics. Naveen Parmar, Director of Government Relations at Nationwide Insurance will be joined by Surya G. Gunasekara, Chief of Staff for Rep. James Renacci (R-OH16), Neal Patel, Deputy Associate Director of Legislative Relations at the Office of Management and Budget; Ami Gadhia, Assistant Director in the Department of Federal Affairs at the American Academy of Pediatrics; and Rohini Kosoglu, Deputy Chief of Staff with Senator Kamala Harris.

Issues in Privacy and Security – A Discussion with Raj DePrivacy – no CLE Credit provided

Please join Rebecca Davis, Director of Privacy for Walmart, and Raj De, who leads Mayer Brown’s global Cybersecurity & Data Privacy, for what promises to be a fascinating discussion of important issues affecting the law and policy governing privacy and cybersecurity. Drawing on their collective experience in government, industry, and practice, the panelists will have an informal conversation touching on critical issues such as Internet privacy; social media; mobile tracing; data security and identity theft; the “hacking” of government and corporate computing systems; and more.

Navigating Corporate Legal Issues in Social MediaIP Law

This panel will examine the real time marketing challenges faced by in-house counsel related to social media. As social media and networking tools become both more complex and prevalent, the trademark, legal and brand reputation challenges that they present are taking up more and more time for in-house counsel. The requirement for clear but practical strategic advice on these complex issues has never been greater. Listen to different experts who discuss real life anecdotes demonstrating the reason we all need to pay attention to social media engagement in the corporate setting, and protection and enforcement of their intellectual property in social media. Moderator Nikki Bhargava, associate at Winston Strawn, will lead a discussion with Naresh Kilaru, partner at Finnegan; Aparna Dave, senior counsel at Wells Fargo Bank; Mona Thakkar, Assistant General Counsel at Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.; and Charanjit Brahma, partner at Troutman Sanders.

How to be a Better AdvocateLitigation

This panel, led by distinguished federal and state court judges, will discuss effective and compelling advocacy strategies for the lawyers who present in court. This includes a discussion of clarity and conciseness of arguments, effectively communicating complex legal issues, addressing opposing counsel’s arguments and appropriately answering judges’ questions and providing clarity to the court. The judges will also lead a discussion on increasing diversity within the judiciary.

The Hon. Justin Anand, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Georgia; Hon. Jassy Lall, Magistrate Judge for the Magistrate Court of Fulton County, Georgia; Hon. Amit Mehta, District Court Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Judge; and Hon. Sanjay Tailor, Associate Judge for the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois; will provide the insight that comes from being on the other side of the bench in a panel moderated by Thiru Vignarajah, partner at DLA Piper.

Sports Law 101Sports Law

For every lawyer that checks ESPN.com obsessively at work, a career in sports law seems like the best of both worlds. Come hear about what it’s really like to be a sports lawyer from panelists that have been involved with some of the most high-profile legal battles and matters in competitive athletics. Ajay Gohil, Associate General Counsel for the DC Department of Health, will lead this session featuring panelists from a broad array of career backgrounds who will share their insights on the nature of the practice and explain their distinct career paths, the type of work they perform, and the skills they need to prepare for their current positions. Our panelists are Samir Gandhi, partner at Sidley Austin LLP; Chitta Malik, Sr. Vice President of Perennial Sports & Entertainment; Ahmad Nassar, president of the NFL Players Inc.; and Bobby Sharma, President & Managing Partner of Blue Devil Holdings.

Non-disclosure agreements and covenants, joint venture agreements, common interest agreements, information sharing agreements, and even joint development agreements are often the gateway to doing business or sharing confidential or proprietary business information between two parties. Yet, attorneys and business partners frequently gloss over important terms, including and especially confidentiality, without proper scrutiny. These increasingly complex confidentiality agreements and provisions demand the attention of a seasoned attorney who can advise on the pitfalls of weak protections for business and confidential information. This panel will examine common provisions relating to confidentiality and focus on the appropriate parties and affiliates, defining the scope and definition of “Confidential Information”, as well as exceptions to the protections and coverage with the NDA, among other things. We will also discuss the implications of confidentiality provisions on regulated businesses, including compliance issues and government investigations.

Non-disclosure agreements are often the gateway to doing business between two companies, yet there are frequently signed without any scrutiny. These increasingly complex agreements demand the attention of a seasoned attorney who can advise on the scope and real-life implications of weak protections of business and confidential information. This panel will examine common provisions of an NDA and focus on the appropriate parties and affiliates, defining the scope and definition of “Confidential Information”, exceptions to the protections and coverage within the NDA, among other things. We will also discuss the additional analysis needed before tackling the provisions relating to protecting intellectual property and trade secrets, liability caps and exceptions, and remedies and other related clauses.

This panel will explore how new litigation attorneys can prepare themselves for attending, taking, and defending a deposition. The panelists will share experiences of depositions gone bad, depositions gone very bad, and deposition nightmares. They will discuss how those experiences could have been averted, how they could/should have prepared differently, and how not to prepare. They will discuss how a new or inexperienced attorney can avoid an opponent’s “gamesmanship.” They will go over how to deal with objections, witness-coaching, and purposeful distortion of the record. In addition, the panel will discuss deposing the following types of witnesses: lay/fact unrepresented witnesses; management/corporate representatives; experts; and presenting a client’s witness. Moderator Eva Gunasekera, Senior Counsel at Finch McCranie LLP will be joined by Kalpana Srinivasan, partner at Susman Godfrey LLP; Nadeem Bezar, partner at Kline & Specter PC; Reena Bajowala, partner at Jenner & Block; and Pratik Shah of Delt Law for an instructive session.

How Technology Will Change the LawBusiness Law

The session will focus on how legal technology will affect the legal practice by answering questions such as: How will legaltech disrupt the legal field? What types of technology does the legal field need and what can it draw from other verticals? Will the model require a revisit to the pay scale and will associates get replaced with software that can automate processes? Can the traditional law model be revamped? Will alternative fee arrangements work? How does big data/AI help lawyers? Will projects become less profitable?

This panel will discuss (i) the current state of diversity and inclusion in law firms, law schools, and corporate America, (ii) the value, roles, and responsibilities of diversity and inclusion professionals in those settings, and (iii) tips and tools for law firms, law schools, and corporations to advance their diversity and inclusion initiative, with focus on what people not involved directly can do.

Topics covered will include: recruiting and professional development strategies, leveraging D&I for business development, winning hearts and minds. Asker Saeed, Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Fried Frank will joined by Rekha Chiruvolu, Head of Diversity & Inclusion for Nixon Peabody; Jaya Saxena, Director of Dean’s Diversity & Inclusion Initiative at George Washington Law School; Karman Khan, Assistant General Counsel at Altria; and Smeeta Ramarathnam, Deputy Director of the Office of Credit Ratings at the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Succeeding in a Law Firm: A Panel Discussion with Prominent South Asian Managing PartnersCareer Development

We bring together three South Asian attorneys who have not only survived but flourished in their organizations becoming the current managing partners. The panelists will discuss important issues that attorneys in private practice face, including: 1) how their firms are tackling diversity; 2) how to focus pro bono work on opportunities to improve practice area skills; 3) how to choose an appropriate practice group and partners to work for; 4) the importance of socializing within the firm; 5) how to develop mentors both inside and outside of the firm; and 6) how to achieve work life balance and still succeed in a law firm environment, among others.

Immigrants with criminal histories are increasingly becoming the targets for deportation. State law has never matched with federal law and this has created immigration quagmire for defense attorneys. Crafting effective plea agreements and working with prosecutors has never been more important than ever before. On the other hand, states are enacting laws decriminalizing marijuana, and the divergence between state and federal law is growing. Panelists for this session will discuss both the traps for, and the tools available to, noncitizens dealing with these issues. The focus of the session will be on criminal defense practitioners who are at a loss for how to approach assessment of relief. Every criminal defense lawyer will be confronted at some point with the analysis of crimes to determine immigration consequences. The panelists will discuss the categorical approach, its application in the immigration context, and the current state of the law given the most recent development concerning the U.S. Supreme Court.

Moderator Asit Panwala, Principal at Law Office of Asit Panwala, will be joined by Gautam Jagannath, Founder and Directing Attorney at the Social Justice Collaborative; Aarti Kohli, executive director of the Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus; Sejal Zota, Legal Director of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild; Qudsia Raja, Policy Director at the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

This session will discuss workplace issues facing the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community, and current development in the law on the federal and state level regarding workplace protections for this community. The panelists will also provide information regarding working with LGBTQ employees and share relevant vocabulary. Disparities in the workplace for LGBTQ employees will be identified, and attendees will leave with the knowledge of how to make space for LGBTQ employees to bring their full, authentic selves to work. Shuchi Batra Desai, Assistant General Counsel of the U.S. General Services Administration will moderate a panel with Sally J. Abrahamson, Associate at Outten & Golden; Aparna B. Joshi, partner at O’Melveney; Glenn Magpantay, Executive Director of the NQAPIA – National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance; and Mia Yamamoto, principal at the Law Office of Mia Yamamoto.

Pathways to the BenchCareer Development

Most lawyers daydream about donning the black robe and wielding the gavel. Our panelists have achieved the fantasy, but whether appointed or elected, no two judges make it to the bench the same way. Join our panel of judges from across the country as they discuss the choices they made and the opportunities that led to their moving across from bar to bench. Join former U.S. Magistrate Judge and current Facebook Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Paul Grewal as he moderates a panel featuring the Hon. Sri Srinisavasan, Circuit Court Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit; Hon. Amul Thapar, Circuit Court Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; Hon. Ravi Sandill of the 127th District Court in Harris County, TX; and Hon. Raja Rajeshwari, Criminal Court Judge of the Office of Court Administration in Staten Island, New York.

Combatting Hate Crimes in Changing TimesPublic Interest

There has been a tremendous increase in hate crimes in the past year against Muslims (and those perceived to be Muslims), South Asians, Arabs, Sikhs, Hindus, and Middle Eastern Americans. The current political climate, as well as the emergence of far right groups have contributed to this disturbing trend. The panelists will discuss the problem of hate crimes underreporting, the federal and state laws that are utilized to prosecute those suspected of perpetrating such crimes, applicable laws to pursue civil remedies against the alleged perpetrators and assisting victims of hate crimes in dealing with law enforcement agencies and other victims’ rights organizations. Madihha Ahussain, staff attorney at the Muslim Advocates is joined by Zahra Billoo, Executive Director at Council on American-Islamic Relations-SFBA; Tejpal Chawla, Assistant United States Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; Arjun Sethi, Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center and Vanderbilt University Law School; and Suman Ragunathan, Executive Director at SAALT.

This panel will discuss the U.S. Supreme Court’s Alice v. CLS Bank decision and its aftermath. Alice swung the pendulum, calling the patent eligibility of software inventions and business method patents into question. In the wake of Alice, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office abruptly halted allowance of these categories of patents and companies saw their patent allowance rates fall to almost nil. Even after releasing preliminary interim guidance, the USPTO’s allowance rate in some art units remains low. We will discuss what types of claim amendments and arguments the USPTO seems to find most effective to overcome Alice. We’ll supplement the discussion with handout materials that can serve as a template and quick reference guide for addressing Alice issues. Moreover, we’ll discuss in-house counsel’s perspective and the effect of Alice on their short-term and long-term goals, including patenting, licensing, and monetization efforts.

This panel will examine the path that many South Asian attorneys take from lawyer to entrepreneur. Nationwide, Indians founded 8% of all technology and engineering startups and yet still comprise less than 1% of the U.S. population. Research has shown that Indians now outnumber the next seven immigrant groups combined and start 33.2% of all immigrant-founded startups in the U.S. South Asian lawyers are not excluded from these statistics. More and more, South Asian lawyers are either transitioning from advocate to entrepreneur or launching a side enterprise to complement their legal practice. Panelists come from a wide variety of backgrounds and circumstances and will elaborate on their own entrepreneurial path, including the obstacles they faced, recommendations for aspirational entrepreneurs, and current trends in start-up life. We will also discuss national issues facing South Asian legal entrepreneurs and ways interested individuals can incubate their ideas, find mentors, and plug into relevant trade networks and other groups. Kubs Lalchandani, owner of Lalchandani Simon, PL, United Drug Supply, Inc., Mayahuel, NY, 1Apeiron, LLC, discusses their alternative paths with Raj Abhyanker, founder of LegalForce Trademarkia; Suneet Diwan, founder of Dimension Properties and Dimension Law Group; Jasbina Ahluwalia, Relationship Expert,Matchmaker/Dating Coach and Radio Show Host; Sheela Murthy, Founder & President of the Murthy Law Firm.

Chai Chat with Neal KatyalInterview – no CLE credit provided

It’s time for a little gupshup and a Chai Chat. Peter Karanjia of Davis Wright Tremaine will chat with Neal Katyal of Hogan Lovells about executive orders, litigating high profile and high stake cases and how long it will be until Katyal breaks Thurgood Marshall’s record. Since the executive order cases are still being litigated, we anticipate that this will be the first Chai Chat to include a few “no comments.”

CORPORATE COUNSEL ROUNDTABLES

Attorney-Client Privilege and the In-House LawyerCorporate Law

As in house attorneys we are often providing a mix of business and legal advice. Increasingly we are creating more and more channels by which to communicate with our clients, in addition to emails, people are using SMS, Slack, Teams, Hangouts, Skype for Business etc. How do we preserve privilege in our communications. Is an ACP tag enough? How do we best train our clients to understand how to properly leverage ACP. Dinesh Melwani, partner at Morgan Lewis, will bring his expertise to help you answer these questions and others.

It Takes a Village: Advising the Board and C-Suite on Cybersecurity Risk ManagementCybersecurity

This roundtable will explore proactive ways for in-house counsel to help their organizations develop a robust cybersecurity program, including strategies that embrace the cross-functional nature of cybersecurity risk management. The panelists will also discuss C-Suite and Board responsibility for overseeing the cybersecurity program’s effectiveness. The session will involve hypothetical cyber incidents and engage in a discussion with participants on the need for reporting such events. Anand Raj Shah, partner at Drinker Biddle, and Jami Mills Vibbert, partner at Venable, will take a deeper look at how to handle cybersecurity.

How to Manage Your Legal SpendPractice Management

Legal departments are leveraging new tools/business models to control costs, from Value Pricing, Reverse Bidding, to leveraging technology like AI. How can legal departments better collaborate with outside counsel to control legal costs and receive high level service. Nipun Patel, partner at Reed Smith, and Samia Kirmani, partner at Jackson Lewis, will discuss how to manage the resources available to both sides to make the best use of your legal budget.

The Intersection of Government Lobbying and Corporate CitizenshipPolitical Law

Companies in all sectors are increasingly involved in lobbying at the state and federal levels to ensure their interests are protected in the legislative and administrative process. This roundtable addresses the legal ramifications of this activity on corporate compliance. It also addresses the extralegal effects of lobbying on corporate reputation. Scott Thomas, partner at Blank Rome, will address those questions and others faced by counsel who are new to this area.

About SABA

The South Asian Bar Association of North America (SABA North America) provides a vital link between South Asian lawyers and the South Asian community across North America.